After twenty-one years of dedicated service as professor of missions, associate dean of ministry studies, and director of the Equip Network at Southeastern Seminary, Al James is retiring from teaching and administration on July 31, 2023.
Al is a dear brother who has modeled faithfulness in ministry as a pastor and missionary and who has served our institution well with his heart for missions and the local church,” commented President Danny Akin. “As the director of our Equip Network, Al has helped our institution deepen and establish lasting partnerships with local churches. It has been a joy to work with Al for two decades, and his impact on Southeastern will continue well beyond his retirement.”
Originally from Jesup, GA, James pastored churches in Georgia, Mississippi, and Louisiana in the 1970s and 1980s while pursuing his theological education. In 1989, James, his wife Cathy, and their children moved as missionaries to Southeast Asia with the International Mission Board (IMB). Over the next four years, James served there as strategy coordinator to an unreached people group and as professor of missions and church history at the Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary (PBTS) in Baguio City, Philippines.
While stateside from 1993-1995, James served as a missions professor before returning to the Philippines with the IMB for seven more years as strategy leader for the Filipino people groups. During his family’s second term in the Philippines, James once again served as professor of missions and church history at PBTS — deeply committed to the task of training missionaries and future church leaders.
Near the end of their second term, James received an invitation from Southeastern to join the faculty, and within a few months James had accepted the offer with a desire to continue raising up future church leaders and missionaries to serve the nations well. James joined the faculty at Southeastern as a professor of missions in 2002.
“We were extremely happy with the IMB and serving as missionaries.” recounted James. “However, we both came to a belief that the Lord was leading us to Southeastern. I have always believed that teaching students missions was a way of investing in others for the expansion of the missionary force and missionary support. It has been a blessing to be a small part of seeing our students go to the nations and to be part of reaching the nations as the peoples of the world come to the U.S.”
Over the next 21 years at Southeastern, James served in a variety of roles — even while pastoring in local churches. In 2007, James became associate dean of ministry studies, and 10 years later, he also became director of the Equip Network, which has grown to 265 partnering churches under his leadership.
For James, administration at Southeastern has been a privilege and not drudgery. He has described his many roles at Southeastern as opportunities to serve and enable colleagues, students, and churches to fulfill the Great Commission. James also regards his teaching ministry at Southeastern as a consummate joy because of the Great Commission community and mission of the institution.
“It is a dream come true for a missions professor to serve at the ‘GO’ seminary where every classroom is a Great Commission classroom,” noted James. “It has been a privilege to serve under Dr. Akin with his passion for missions. It has been a joy to have students who are passionate about reaching the nations for Christ. It has been amazing to be a part of a faculty who is passionate about missions — no matter the academic discipline.”
James’s investment in others is one of the many qualities that his colleagues have appreciated about working with him.
“Dr. James is always willing to help and has the heart of a pastor-missionary,” commented John Ewart, professor of missions and pastoral leadership and associate vice president for Global Theological Initiatives and ministry centers at Southeastern. “He has gone more than the second mile to support students and colleagues to succeed.”
“Dr. James has influenced generations of church leaders as well as missionaries who are now serving on the field in Great Commission fulfillment,” added Ewart. “Being an experienced practitioner himself, both in the local church and on the mission field, Dr. James knows the powerful benefit of hands-on training in the crucible of real-life ministry and has enabled churches and students to take advantage of that opportunity.”
As he retires, James looks forward to spending more time with Cathy, their 4 children, and their 9 grandchildren, taking the opportunity to travel and enjoy making new memories. James also plans to continue his local church ministry, assisting churches during transitions as an interim pastor. Earlier this month, James accepted a new interim pastorate to lead and support a local church through a period of transition.
“Al James has served the Southeastern family with distinction for over two decades in a variety of teaching and leadership roles,” noted Provost Scott Pace. “Al’s passion for the Great Commission has influenced every aspect of his service as both a professor and administrator, and he has modeled for our students and faculty what it looks like to leverage your life for the gospel and the nations.”
